4 Things to Know About The Fosters 5×17 – Makeover

In The Fosters 5×17, Callie arrived at a brave decision, Jude and Stef made poor choices, and Mariana avoided deciding at all. Here are 4 things to know about The Fosters 5×17, “Makeover.”

1. Callie changes her focus, Ximena is dealt a crushing blow, and #Calmena almost happens.

The Fosters 5×17 begins with Ximena encouraging Callie to appeal her art program rejection, as well as revealing that her parents’ immigration hearing is coming up. (In addition, Ximena’s sporting a fierce “Resist” nameplate necklace.) When Aaron asks the two of them to sit on a UCSD Law-sponsored panel about social media impacting politics, they jump at the chance. Of course, Aaron doesn’t reveal that the girl he’s seeing will be there until after Callie agrees. This episode beautifully captures the disintegration of Aaron and Callie’s relationship, sidestepping the placement of blame in favor of presenting the situation from multiple sympathetic angles. Although neither wronged the other, they’re simply not on the same page right now, which is sad and painful for them both. When Callie and Ximena discuss the situation, Ximena admits, “I’d wait forever for you,” and my #Calmena heart grows three sizes. Interrupting their tender moment may be the worst thing Brandon’s done in all five seasons – and there are a lot of bad things to choose from.

The next day, Ximena shares her family’s story during the panel, and Callie chimes in with statistics and examples of case law. (When actress Maia Mitchell’s Australian accent comes out, you know she’s riled.) Callie’s knowledge and passion attract the attention of the law professor moderating the panel, while Aaron notes that she’d make a good lawyer. With the help of Brandon – who discovers his own passion for scoring films in the process – Callie compiles footage of Ximena’s struggle to show the judge. Heartbreakingly, it’s not enough: Ximena and Poppy’s parents are ordered to report for deportation in 30 days. As The Fosters 5×17 draws to a close, Ximena calls back to the opening scene by asking if Callie’s made a decision about appealing the rejection of her UCSD application. Turns out Callie’s going to appeal – but she wants to change her major from art to law!

2. Stef makes a pivotal decision.

Remember the murder mystery/legal drama that dominated The Fosters season 4? For better or worse, The Fosters 5×17 brings that story line back with a vengeance. When Stef learns that Callie’s former foster brother Kyle is being surveilled and harassed after wearing a wire during a conversation with pedophile Patrick Molloy, she suspects the perennially shady Det. Gray has something to do with it. In response to the insinuation that he dropped the charges against Molloy in exchange for Molloy refusing to testify as Kyle’s alibi witness for the time of the murder, Gray indirectly threatens Stef’s SDPD career. When a bag containing a dead rat shows up on Kyle’s porch soon after, it’s the last straw for Stef. As she prepares search warrant authorization requests for one of her unrelated cases, she adds another name to the list – Patrick Molloy’s.

3. Mariana juggles Logan, Wyatt, and an internship application.

At the end of last week’s episode, Emma gave Mariana the green light to apply for a prestigious Los Angeles-based STEAM internship. In The Fosters 5×17, Mariana tries to find time for the internship application and her two suitors, and things aren’t going great. With Wyatt and Logan vying to become her one and only, it’s no surprise that Mariana’s a little distracted – and then inspiration strikes in the form of a drawing she finds near her sketch pad at home. She tells the ABCC teacher who’ll be writing her letter of recommendation that she intends to build a maze-navigating robot, to but there’s a problem. Unbeknown to Mariana, Emma – who’s at the Adams Foster house frequently on account of dating Jesus – has been working on a decidedly similar plan…

4. Jude flirts with danger – and Declan.

Jude, Taylor, and Declan’s “Two Gay Guys & A Girl” livestream has been a disaster waiting to happen for a while now, and The Fosters 5×17 takes another step toward the precipice. Between getting this episode’s titular makeover “for the fans” and engaging in innuendo-filled flirtation with Declan, Jude was on a dangerous path even before taking off his shirt on camera. Although it’s fair to say most parents probably wouldn’t be thrilled about this, Stef reacts particularly strongly – and who can blame her? After all, her job provides an up-close-and-personal window into the lives of online predators like those potentially watching Jude’s stream. Jude is unwilling to take Stef and Lena’s concerns seriously, however, and instead opts to be sneaky. Specifically, he tells Lena that Declan pulled out of their collaboration and Eminent Power consequently dropped 2GG&AG from its roster. It isn’t until the very last scene of The Fosters 5×17 that Declan texts Jude with plans for the following day’s stream and we realize Jude lied to get his moms off his back. Needless to say, no good will come of this.

About Nicola

A Pop City Life contributor since 2014, Nicola holds a degree in print and multimedia journalism from Emerson College. Raised in the UK, she has since lived in Philadelphia and Manhattan, and currently resides in Boston. She's a big fan of the Cheshire Cat.